re: The Greatest Baseball Player of the Modern Era

My vote is for b bonds.

Greatest player of the modern era? Bonds.

Greatest player of all time? Bonds.

The problem with Bonds is he basically had two distinct versions of himself as a player.

Pre-Roids - best all around player in the MLB. Could run, play defense, had power, could hit for average...aka Willie Mays.

Post-Roids - a completely different player. No speed. No defense...but had some of the best hitting seasons of all time...aka Ruth.

That makes him hard to judge IMO.

I think a fair case can be made for Bonds or Ruth as the GOAT. I accept them both as 1a and 1b because so much changed between the time they played. However, they both put up numbers that were so good they failed to make sense.

Barry Bonds before and after the roids...

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You said they were eating amphetamines like "skittles"

Where is that article?

Aarom admitted to trying them once and they "almost gave him a heart attack"

Do amphetamines make your entire body change and transform your career? Not even close..

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They were taking illegal amphetamines to gain an advantage over their opposition. That is no different then what Bonds did. I am sorry you are simple minded

ETA: "One of the greatest players of all time, Willie Mays, had a liquid form of an amphetamine in his locker during his days with New York's most beloved team, the New York Mets.

Teammate John Milner said that amphetamines were so pervasive during his era that when he went into the clubhouse, there were "greenies" waiting for him in his locker."

So yes, they did take them like skittles

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Aaron who was a true Mr Consistent but never came close to the heights reached by Mantle Bench Mays Musial Williams Banks etc

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You could pretty much count on Aaron hitting .300 with 40 homers and 100plus RBIs and runs scored. Plus, he won a batting title. Not a lot of guys were hitting 50 homers in Aaron's time. Mantle and Mays, a couple of times each, and Maris. That's about it.

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I think a fair case can be made for Bonds or Ruth as the GOAT. I accept them both as 1a and 1b because so much changed between the time they played. However, they both put up numbers that were so good they failed to make sense.

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If you would transport mid-90's Bonds back into the 20's with a time machine would he put up the same numbers as Ruth? Of course. He would prlly demolish Ruth's numbers because he is an all around superior player in every facet of the game. Now, if you take Ruth out of the 20's and put him against modern pitching, would he put up the same numbers. No fricking way.